1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an inkjet printer comprising an ink circulation path.
2. Description of the Related Art
An inkjet printer which records images by ejecting inks to recording media from an inkjet head is widely used. As an example of such an inkjet printer, there is a known printer comprising an ink circulation path which circulates an ink between an ink tank storing an ink and an inkjet head.
For example, Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2001-219580 Publication discloses an inkjet printer comprising an ink circulation path which comprises: a recording head (inkjet head); a first ink tank provided above the recording head; and a second ink tank provided below the recording head; and a pump which pumps the ink from the second ink tank to the first ink tank. On this ink circulation path, image recording is performed while the ink is circulated through the ink circulation path by supplying an ink from the first ink tank to the second ink tank through the recording head utilizing height differences between positions of the first ink tank, the recording head, and the second ink tank and by drawing up the ink collected into the second ink tank further into the first ink tank by the pump.
Further, the inkjet printer according to Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2001-219580 is provided with a liquid surface detector which detects an ink liquid surface inside each of the first and second ink tanks. These liquid surface detectors monitor ink surfaces in the first and second ink tanks, and output signals from the liquid surface detectors are transferred to a control unit. If the ink in the first ink tank is determined to be insufficient by the output signal from the liquid surface detector for the first ink tank, the ink is suctioned from the second ink tank to the first ink tank to supply the first ink tank with the ink. Further, if an ink in the second ink tank is determined to be insufficient by the output signal from the liquid surface detector for the second ink tank, the second ink tank is supplied with the ink from a supply ink tank. Thus, even when the ink is ejected from the recording head during circulation of the ink, an amount of the ink in the ink circulation path is maintained properly.
Meanwhile, the inkjet printer described in the publication No. 2001-219580 is based on a prerequisite that the liquid surface detectors provided respectively for the first and second ink tanks operate properly. However, the liquid surface detectors can cause a malfunction or operation error due to external disturbance factors. In this case, a proper ink circulation operation and ink charging operation as described above cannot be achieved through the ink circulation path. For example, even when sufficient ink remains in an ink tank, the ink can possibly be determined to be short. Consequently, an excessive portion of the ink over a capacity flows in and overflows to outside the tank, thereby staining inside of the printer.
Therefore, there is a need to detect whether the liquid surface detectors properly operate or not. However, the publication No. 2001-219580 discloses nothing about detection of whether the liquid surface detectors properly operate or not.